Tension device for tire-building machines



. T. MIDGLEY TENSION DEVLCE FOR TIRE BUILDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2-, 1920 5 sheets-sheet l INVENTOR Thoma s Miclqhx. BY

ATTOR Y T. MIDGLEY TENSION DEVICEFOR TIRE BUILDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 2, 1920 3 shqets-sheet 2 Apr. 3, 923.

QT E HHHWW E wm Mn fin n P *w ,w/ V q ll Mil ll N E w/w v INVEN'TOR TFlomas Midakay.

ATTOR Apr. 3, 1923.

T. MIDGLEY TENSION DEVICE FOR TIRE BUILDING MACHINES 5 sheets-sheet Filed Nov. 2, 1920 u E N% ,INVENTOR le BY 3 I ATTdRrgv I memos Mid Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

THOMAS MIDGLEY, OF HAMPDEN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE FISK RUBBER COMPANY, OF CHICOPEE FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- GHUSETTS.

TENSION DEVICE FOR TIRE-BUILDING. MACHINES.

Application filed November 2, 1920. Serial No. 421,385.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS MIDGLEY, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hampden, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in a Tension Device for Tire-Building Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to the feeding of fabric to the annular cores upon which a tire casing is built. It has for its object the general improvement of the feeding operation,- particularly as to the uniformity of stretch given the fabric and the accuracy with which the latter is centered with respect to the core. Specifically my invention is directed to the laying of fabric on the core under conditions of uniform tension throughout the length of the fabric,

and to the reduction of fabric waste by ac-.

curately centering the fabric with respect to the core prior to its application thereto,

thereby permitting the fabric to be cut origi- 2 nally to more nearly the correct ultimate -.width.

My invention will now be described with particular .reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of my improved tension and feeding device mounted adjacent a core;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same Fig. 3 is a sectional view of one of the guiding and tensioning rollers;

Fig. 4 is a section on line-44 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail of the driving mechanism for the tension rolls;

Fig. 6 is a sectionon line 66 of Fig. 5., and

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 5. The machine is designed for use in connection with a core 10 of the usual annular type, which may be supported in any way in a standard 11 arising from base 12. At 13 is shown a standard supporting a turret 14 carrying uprights 15 which suport various'elements hereinafter described. nly one of these uprights has been shown completely, but it will be understood that a plurality, four, for example, are provided, so that a succession of layers of fabric may be supplied to the core during the building by varying the operation. spool 16 journaled in upright 15. Pivoted at 17 is a frame 18 carrying a roll 19 adapted to receive the cloth liner wound on roll 16 between layers of the rubberized fabric. Thus far the mechanism is known in the art.

From the spool 16 the fabric 20 passes to my improved tension and feed device, and travels successively around rolls 211, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27. Roll 21 is driven by gearing 28 from a stud shaft 29 driven by a chain 30 and sprockets 31 and 32 from a stud shaft 33 journaled in the turret 14. The method by which this latter shaft is driven will be described later. Gearing 28 also serves to drive a shaft 34 which is journaled in the side of the frame 35 which supports rolls 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27. On shaft 34 are spiral gears 36 which mesh with gears 37 on the shafts of rolls 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 whereby these rolls -are positively driven at a predetermined rate of speed relative to each other and to roll 21. The surface speed of the rolls increases progressively from roll 21 to roll 27, either ratio of gearing or, as shown, by making the rolls of'successively increasing diameter. The rolls are preferably covered with a substance having alarge coefficient of friction with the rubberized fab- I 'ric passing over them,

a suitable substance being vulcanized rubberized fabric. Due to the adhesion between the rolls and the fabric the latter is stretched by gradual increments asit passes over the rolls, which, as described, move at successively increasing surface speeds. twelve per cent is desired in the fabric, each roll is arranged to have a surface speed two per cent greater than the roll preceding it. This method of stretching gives a more positive and uniform tension than can be attained by a single stretch. By my device I am also enabled to center the fabric as it is laid on the core without the provision of elaborate means for changing its position, and to do this even though the fabric has been wound on the roll 16 more or less irregularly. By so centering the fabric I greatly reduce the amount of scrap resulting from the trimming of the fabric at the sides of the core, as I am able to cut the fabric originally to i The fabric is supplied from a If for example a stretch of practically its final width without excessive allowance to take care of irregularity in laying the fabric on the core.

To this end I provide the several tension rollers with flanges 38, preferably arranged so that they are successively nearer'together from roll 21 to roll 27. The construction of the preferred form of these flanges is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The central portion of the roll is chambered as at 39. Into thisspace, and passing through slots 40 in the roll, extend sleeves 41 secured to the flanges 38 and to nuts 42 by screws 43. An adjusting screw 44, having right and left hand threaded portions 45 and 46, extends through the nuts 42 in threaded engagement therewith, and has a squared portion 47 at its end whereby it may be rotated. The endof ,the roll towards the squared end of screw 44 is journaled on a sleeve 48, secured against endwise movement by an enlarged portion 49 and mounted in frame 35. Adjacent the squared portion 47 screw 44 has a flange 50. A cap 51, secured by screws 52 to sleeve 48, fits over flange 50 and holds the screw 44 against endwise movement. It will readily be understood from the above description that by turning the squared end 47 of screw 44 the flanges 38 will be moved towards or away from each other depending on the direction ,of rotation.

By the described arrangement. of flanges 38, on which the flanges on successive rolls are arranged nearer together, two results are accomplished. In the first place, as

the fabric is stretched it becomes narrower, and the flanges must be set closer together to compensate for this shrinkage. In the second place, this arrangement will accurately center the fabric by forcin it little by little into a central position. fins centering action is entirely automatic, requires no movement of the stock roll or feeding rolls by the operator, and will take place even though the fabric is considerably ofl' center as it lies in the stock roll. In the latter case, however, it may be desirable to set the flanges on the first few rolls so that they are spaced apart a distance rather greater than the width of the-fabric in order that the inwardly beveled edge of the flanges may act againstthe edge of the fabric.

Returning now to a description of the manner in which the shaft 33, which drives the tension rolls as described above, is

driven, it will be remembered that turret 14 carries a plurality of fabric supplying units which are to be brought successively into use with the core 10. In order to avoid the necessity of providing a separate drive for each of these units I have arranged a single drive adjacent the core, which is adapted to engage any of the shafts 33 as these are brought into position. For this purpose one rounded at this point.

end of shaft 33 is flattened as at 55 and is adapted to slide into a groove in the end of a shaft 57 journaled in frame 13. A groove 56 is preferably provided in the frame 13 to prevent rotation of those shafts 33 which are not in engagement with shaft 57. This latter shaft passes through a sleeve 58, which may be held against rotation by a set screw 59 or may be made integral with the frame 13, and carries on its end remote from shaft 33 a cap 60 secured thereto in any suitable way. Shaft 57 is driven by a motor 61 or other source of power through the medium of a sprocket 62 on the motor, a chain 63, and a sprocket 64 connected to'the shaft by a clutch mechanism which will now be described. This clutch mechanism serves the double purpose o-f:-placing the rotation of the fabric feeding rolls under the control of the operator and of always stopping shaft 57 with groove 56 horizontal so that the squared end 55 of shaft 33 may be engaged or disengaged merely by the rotation of the turret.

Between sleeve 58 and sprocket 64 is a collar 65 having a rounded groove 66 (not shown in Fig. 6 as this view is taken looking in the opposite direction) which com bines with a groove 67 in shaft 57 to receive and furnish bearing for a dog 68 which is Dog 68 is also rounded where it enters cap 60, the groove 67 in the shaft 57 and a groove 69 in the cap combining to furnish a bearing for it at this point. Intermediate these two bearings the dog passes through the hub 70 'pressed towards the dotted line position of Fig.6 by a coil spring 73 contained in a recess 74 in collar 65. In the active position of this arm the dog is in the position shown in Fig. 7, in whichits crescent shaped portion extends into one of the grooves 71 to couple together for rotation sprocket 64 and shaft 57. In order to move the dog to inoperative position a stop 75 is provided, pressed by a spring 76 in a guide 77 secured to sleeve 58. Spring 76 acts between a collar 78 on the stop and a plug 79 screwed into the guide. An extension 80 of the stop is connected by a link 81 with a treadle lever 82 held yieldingly in raised position by a spring pressed plug 83. Unless lever 82 is depressed by the operator stop 75 is in the raised position shown in Figs. 5 and 6, in which it engages with the end of arm 72 to hold the same in the full line position of Fig. 6. In this position of the parts shaft 57 is disconnected from the sprocket 64, the latter rotating freely. If the operthe position of Fig.1

grooves 7i in a position to permit the dog rotating. After the dog has rotated into one of the grooves sprocket 64 will move shaft '57 with it, and, through chain 30, will cause rotation of the fabric feeding rolls. The rotation of the feed rolls, and therotation of the core caused thereby, will continue until the operator releases treadle 82. This allows stop 75 to project into the path of arm 72, bringing the. latter into the dotted line position of Fig. 6. This at the same time disconnects sprocket 64 from shaft 57 and stops shaft 57 positively in a position with groove 56 horizontal, thereby permittinlg rotation of the turret.

latch mechanism 85 controlled through a handle 86 serves to hold the frame 35 in until released by the operator in order to bring roll 27 into contact with the core. Another latch mechanism 90, connected by a link 91 with a treadle 92, and constructed in a generally similar manner to stop 75, serves to hold the turret in position with the feed rolls centrally located with respect to the plane of the core during the operation of applying a layer of fabric. to the core.

I believe the operation of the machine will be understood from the description above, and need not be'repeated in detail here. The operator, having threaded the fabric through the feeding rolls, releases latch 85 and lowers frame 35 until roll 27 contacts with the core. He then presses lever 82, causing rotation of the feeding rolls, and consequently causing the core to be rotated and the fabric to be laid on the core. When the desired amount of fabric has been 1aid.on the oper-' ator releases treadle 82, stopping the feed rolls, andsevers the fabric between the core and roll 27. The length of fabric projecting beyond. roll 27 may be thrown into contact with the fabric on the surface of roll 26 to hold it, frame 35 swung into the inoperative position shown in Fig. 1, and further building'operations, such as stitching the fabric down upon the sides of the core, other layers of fabric from other of the stock rolls on the turret, applying like, are performed in any suitable manner.

Having thus described .my invention, I claim:

1. In a tire building machine, an annular core upon which the tire may be built, and means for supplying fabric' to the core comprisin a series of rollsconstructed and arrange to give to the fabric a longitudinal stretch by successive increments.

2. In a tire building machine, an annular core on which a tire may be built, and means for supplying fabric to the core comprising a series of fabric feeding rolls positively driven at successively increasing surface speeds.

3. In a tire building machine, an annular core upon which the tire may be built, and means for supplying fabric to the core comprising a'series of fabric feeding rolls of successively larger diameters, and means for driving said rolls at the same angular speeds.

4. In a tire building machine, an annular core upon which a tire may be built, and means for supplying fabric 'to the core comprising a series of rolls constructed and ar ranged to give to the fabric a longitudinal stretch by successive increments, the core being driven by frictional contact with the last roll of the series.

5. In a tire building machine, a source of fabric supply, an annular core on which the fabric may be laid, a series of fabric feeding rolls between the supply and the core, said rolls being positively driven with successively increasing surface speeds, and annular flanges mounted on said rolls, said flanges being spaced apart by successively less distances from the fabric supply to the THOMAS MIDGLEY.

applying.

beads, or the ore.

6. The method of supplying fabric to cores 

